Extension table



Augw 15, 1933.. M. FOX 1,922,478

EXTENSION TABLE Filed Febe 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l gzj qf w 0 kjiaf/z'n 2 7936.

M. FOX

EXTENSION TABLE Aug. 15, 1933,

Filed Feb. 15, 1932 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 15, 1933 EXTENSION TABLE Martin Fox, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Seng Company,

Chicago,- Ill.

Application February 15, 1932. Serial No. 593,115

8 Claims.

My invention is an improvement in extension tables of that special type commonly known as refectory tables which provide for an increase in the size of the top by bringing extra leaves into position at the opposite ends thereof, said leaves normally housed under the top being carried by runners or slides movable in the frame of the table with means interposed between the slides and leaves for raising and lowering the latter in relation to the top of the table.

The main object of my invention is to provide a metal fixture for tables of this general character for attachment to the leaf and its supporting slide to effect the raising and lowering of the of the table, the said fixture affording a swinging movement of the leaf to and from the slide and including a spring which not only assists in the raisingof said leaf but also serves to cooperate with the interengaging parts of the fixture in firmly holding the leaf in raised position against the end of the top.

With this principal object in view my invention contemplates the production of a metal fixture or unitary structure for extension tables of the type mentioned comprising a pair of plates attachable to the leaf and slide respectively, said plates being connected together at their ends in parallel relation and in such manner as to maintain the horizontal position of the leaf in the operation of raising and lowering the same on the slide, and more specifically my invention consists in connecting the plates together at one end by an arcuate slot and headed pin working therein in conjunction with a link connection at the other end of the fixture under spring tension, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a bottom plan illustrating the appli cation of my invention to an extension table having the leaf carrying slides at the center thereof.

Fig. 2 is a similar View in which the leaves are each provided with spaced apart slides.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table.

Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the table shown in Fig. 1 with the extension 50 leaves housed under the opposite ends of the top.

Fig. 6 is a similar view with the leaves extended on a line with the top.

Fig. '7 shows the leaves resting on the slide preparatory to housing the same by sliding them under the top.

leaf when it is moved beyond the end of the top Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the metal fixtures, and

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a form of corner fastening for the legs of the table.

As will be apparent from the following detail description of my improved metal fixture it may be applied in connection with different forms of extension tables in which the extra leaves are carried by slides movable horizontally in the supporting frame havin. corner or a pedestal, and in which the leaves are each provided with either a single center slide or double slides near opposite sides of the table.

In each of the two forms of extension tables shown in the accompanying drawings the frame supported by corner legs 15 is made up of side rails 16, 16 connected by end rails li, l? with an intermediate cross rail 18 at the center of the frame, the said end and cross rails being provided in their upper edges with the usual. recesses wand 20 respectively (Fig. 5) for the horizontally movable center slides 21, 21 (Fig.1) and the spaced apart pairs of slides 22, 22 (Fig. 2) with the top 23 supported by crosspieces 24, 24 a distance above the upper edge of the frame to receive the extra leaves 25 between the projecting ends of the top and frame. The crosspieces 24 are each spaced from the outer ends of the top equal to the width of the extra leaf so that when the latter is housed and abuts against the crosspiece the outer edge thereof will be flush with the outer edge of the table top, and for reinforcing the top against warping longitudinal filling pieces (not shown) may be interposed between the ends of the crosspieces immediately above the side rails of the supporting frame.

The slides have a horizontal movement in the frame of the table limited outwardly by a block 26 in the case of a center slide and by a crossbar 27 in using double slides, and for connecting the extra leaves to the outer ends of said slides so that they may be raised therefrom and supported in coplanar relation to the top in extending the table, as well as rest on the slides in housing .the leaves, I employ a metal fixture of special construction consisting of a plate 28 attached to the under side of the leaf and connected to a plate 29 attached to one side of the slide with a link 30' connecting the plates together at one end of the fixture, preferably the outer end thereof, while the other end of said fixture is connected by aheaded pin 31 projecting from one of the plates through an arcuate slot 32 in the companion plate, whereby the leaf will swing bodily to and from the upperedge of the slide, and to maintain the leaf against the outer edge of the top of the table under spring tension a helical spring 33 is connected at one end to a headed pin 34 on one of the plates, as 29, and at the other end to a headed pin 35 on the link intermediate its pivotal connection to the plates of the fixture. By reference to Fig. 8 it will be seen that the plate 28 which is secured to the under side of the table leaf is provided with a laterally projecting attaching fiange 36 at its upper edge apertured to receive the screws, and that the said plate is wider at one end for the accommodation of the arcuate slot 32 while the outer end of the narrow portion is rounded for the pintle 3'7 which connects the link thereto; in otherwords, this plate is shaped to meet the requirements with a minimum weight of metal consistent with the required strengths, and for a similar purpose the plate 29 is cut away at one end below the portion thereof to which the headed pin 31 is secured and at the other end above the portion to which pintle 38 is secured for connecting the link 30 thereto. It will be noted also that the shape of the link is such that the headed pin 35 to which the outer end of the spring is connected is beyond the plane of the ivots 37 and 38 so that in the lower position of the leaf on the slide the spring will have a tendency to slightly overcome the weight of the leaf for convenience in raising the latter. Furthermore, as illustrated in Fig. 6 the lower end of the arcuate slot is extended slightly beyond a perpendicular plane indicated by line a-a through the axis of the slot to support the leaf against direct downward pressure thereon and requires that the said leaf be drawn slightly outward before it can be swung down on to the slide in the operation of housing the leaf. In the raised position of the leaf the spring acts to draw the'same against the edge of the top for a tight joint and to require a slight effort in manipulating the leaf in the housing operation thereof.

In that form of extension refectory table shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the use of a center slide for supporting the leaf tilting or rocking of the leaf and strain on the fixture are prevented by battens 39 secured to the under side of the leaf and projecting inwardly therefrom to engage the under side of the crosspieces 24 in the housing of said leaf and the under side of the top of the table when the leaf is brought to position on a plane therewith, said battens also overcoming any sagging or warping of the projecting ends of the table top and cooperate with a downwardly curved lip 40 on the metal fixture at the inner end of the attaching flange 36 of plate 28 which extends beyond the inner edge of said leaf. As the plate which is attached to the under side of the leaf extends across the same to a considerable extent it braces said leaf against warping and the projecting lip engaging the under side of the outer edge of the top in connection with the battens insures a close joint between said top and leaf, the lip on the metal fixtures used in connection with double runners, Fig. 2, serving a like purpose in this form of table.

In applying the metal fixture or unitary structure to the leaf and slide it is secured to the under side of the leaf by means of the flange 36 and positioned so that the lip 40 extends beyond the inner edge of said leaf, and with the plates separated and slide extended plate 29 is secured to one side of the slide, and the length of the armate slot will compensate for leaves of different thicknesses.

In making up theframe of the table I prefer to employ the leg fastening means of my invention, especially adapted for use in knock-down tables as the leg can be readily detached. For this purpose the lower portions of the meeting ends of the side and end rails l6, 17, are cut away leaving projections 16a, 170. at their upper ends which overlap the top of the leg 15 and rest thereon with the inset vertical edges of the rails bearingagainst the sides of the leg. The rails are permanently connected by a block 41 through which attaching screws pass into the rails, and for clamping the parts together there is a bolt or screw 42 threaded into the post so as to project therefrom through a hole 43 in the block and receive awinged nut 44 which bears against the block. The top'of the leg projects slightly beyond the rails, as shown in Fig. 9, and the space left between the top of the leg and upper edges of the rails is provided with filling pieces 45 (Fig. 4) to give a better finish to the corners of the frame.

In the operation of extension or reiectory tables having leaves normally housed under the ends of the top and mounted on runners slidable in the frame means are usually provided for manipulating the leaves beyond the opposite ends of the table to bring them on a line with the main top and in engagement therewith for increasing the area of the table, in the present instance my improved fixture providing for the required swinging movement of the leaf by the cooperation of the link at the outer end of the fixture with the slot and pin at the inner end thereof, the pin carried by the plate on the slide moving in the slot in the plate carried by the leaf from the upper to the lower endof said slot at which time the leaf is in abutting engagement with the outer edge of the top of the table, being held in this position by the helical spring which exerts a pulling force on the leaf through the intervention of the link to which said spring is connected. As the leaf engages the top the lip at the inner end of the fixture rides under the edge of said top to present a smooth joint and overcome any tendency of the top to warp. In the housing of the leaf outward pull on the same against the tension of the spring will cause the pin to ride in the slot beyond the perpendicular plane of the axis of said slot and the leaf will then bodily swing on to the upper edge of the slide on a plane immediately below the top so that the said leaf carried by the slide or slides may be moved under said top to provide a smaller table.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the metal fixture presents a substantial and effective means for manipulating the leaves at the opposite ends of a refectory table, and being in the form of a single structural unit is easily applied to the leaf and slide.

I claim:

- 1. A metal fixture or unitary structure for extension tables comprising plates attachable to the leaf and slide of the table, and means connecting the plates for swinging movement one upon'the other consisting of a pin and slot connection at one end of said fixture and a link connection at the other end thereof.

2. A metal fixture or unitary structure for extension tables comprising plates attachable to the leaf and slide of the table, and means connecting the plates for swinging movement one upon the other consisting of a pin and slot connection at one end of said fixture and a link connection at the other end thereof; together with rail a spring attached to one of the plates and to the link at a point intermediate its pivoted ends for exerting a pulling force on the link in the movement of one of the plates with respect to the other.

3. A metal fixture or unitary structure for extension tables comprising plates attachable to the leaf and slide of the table, an arcuate slot in one of the plates at one end thereof engaged by a pin projecting from the other plate, and a cooperating link connecting the plates at the other end of the fixture.

4. A metal fixture or unitary structure for extension tables comprising plates attachable to the leaf and slide of the table, a projecting lip on the plate attachable to the leaf for aligning the leaf with the top of the table, an arcuate slot in one of the plates at one end thereof engaged by a pin projecting from the other plate, a cooperating link connecting the plates at the other end of the fixture, and a spring connected to the link and to one of the plates for exerting a pulling force on the link in the movement of one of the plates with respect to the other.

5. In combination with an extension table having a runner slidable in the frame for supporting the leaf, companion plates attached to the runher and to the leaf respectively, means for affording a swinging movement to the leaf with respect to the runner consisting of a pin on one of the plates working in a slot in the other plate, and a link connecting the plates at a suitable distance from the slot and pin connection.

6. In combination with an extension table having a runner slidable in the frame for supporting the leaf, companion plates attached to the runner and to the leaf respectively, one of said plates having an arcuate slot and the other plate a headed pin working in said slot, a link pivotally connected to the plate at its ends and having a oifset intermediate portion with a headed pin at the outer edge thereof, and a helical spring connected at one end to one of the plates and at the other end to said headed pin on the link to assist in lifting the leaf and for holding said leaf against the outer edge of the top under spring tension.

7. In combination with an extension table hav ing a runner slidable in the frame for supporting the leaf, a plate having a flange for attachment to the under side of the leaf and a depending portion with an arcuate slot at one end thereof, the attaching flange being extended at the inner end of the leaf to form a lip, a plate attached to the runner or slide and having a pin working in the aforesaid arcuate slot, a link connecting the plates at a suitable distance from the slot and pin connection, and a spring connected to one of the plates and to the link intermediate its pivoted ends for exerting spring tension on the leaf.

8. In combination with an extension table having a top and supporting frame therefor, of a runner slidable in the frame at the center of the table for supporting the leaf, and battens secured to the under side of the leaf near the opposite ends thereof for engagement with the under side of the top when the leaf is coplanar with said top; together with means for connecting the leaf to the runner or slide comprising companion plates secured to the leaf and slide respectively, a slot and pin connecting the plates together at one end, a link connecting the plates together at the other end, and. a spring connected to the link and to one of the plates for assisting in the lifting of the leaf and for holding it against the top of the table under spring tension.

MARTIN FOX. 

